From CNY Solidarity Coalition:
Upcoming Meetings: 10/2/22, 10/16/22. Zoom or in-person TBD.
Committees meet on their own. See last page to sign up for committee lists, or to donate.
Sept. 18, 2022 Meeting
Report:
o Onondaga County Gerrymandering Lawsuit: Dustin Czarny. See Article below and please contribute if you can. This is an effort to implement fair redistricting.
o Excluded No More Campaign: Jessica Maxwell of CNY Workers’ Center
o Onondaga Grassroots Action: Sunny Aslam
o Westcott Fair: Plans for CNY Solidarity Coalition tabling
Needed: Volunteers for 1 Hour shifts at our table at Westcott Fair, Sept. 25
We need two volunteers for each one-hour shift. Please enter your names in the spreadsheet here.
Website News
CNY Solidarity Coalition’s website (www.cnysolidarity.org) has some new features and more to come!
New: this page has contact information for Federal, State, and Local government representatives.
And see this page for all our weekly articles on how you can help with the November 2022 election.
ARTICLES OF THE WEEK:
Francis Conole on the Campbell Conversations
…Grant Reeher speaks with Francis Conole, the Democratic candidate for New York’s 22nd Congressional District seat. Listen Here on WRVO
Syracuse Rally: Residents Worry Interstate 81 Demolition Could Spread Lead Dust
Lanessa Chaplin, director of the Environmental Justice Project at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said she has pushed the New York State Department of Transportation to present a plan to bring down the highway without spreading lead dust. Read it at www.CentralCurrent.org and check out their other articles too!
Once upon a time, a lot of false binaries hindered meaningful climate action. One was the old jobs versus the environment business; the Green New Deal helped introduce the reality that doing the right thing by climate was a jobs program too. Read Rebecca Solnit’s comments and this article: Study: Clean energy transition will generate $12tr in savings Here
ACTION ALERTS:
Support the Lawsuit on Challenging Onondaga County map
Dustin Czarny took part in a Press Conference with Legislator Chris Ryan and Common Council President Helen Hudson announcing the filing of a legal challenge to the Onondaga County Legislative maps which we allege are a partisan and racial gerrymander in violation of the Onondaga County Charter, the Municipal Home Rule Law, and NY Constitution. Here is the press conference in its entirety.
You can help with this effort by donating here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ocdcddf
Governor Hochul, Sign the SIGH Act!
The SIGH Act will empower New York to protect students from air pollution by limiting new construction of schools within 600 feet of major roadways and limiting the construction of roads near schools. It would also require basic mitigation where these conditions already exist.
Across our state, thousands of children attend schools that sit just a few hundred feet from major roadways. In fact, despite EPA guidelines, New York has more students who attend schools near major roadways than any other state in the nation. Every day, these mostly Black and Brown kids breathe in the toxins emitted by cars, SUVs, and diesel trucks, leading to respiratory illness, increased absenteeism, and academic challenges. For more information, see the NYCLU One-Pager, here. Or read the newest information in a Blog written by Lanessa Owens Chaplin, here.
The NYCLU will be hosting a virtual webinar on the SIGH Act. See The SIGH Act Webinar, Oct. 6. Below. For more information on the webinar or to register please click here.
Goverbor Hochul: https://www.governor.ny.gov/ Phone: 1-518-474-8390
Email
The situation in Pakistan is a humanitarian emergency. We are navigating logistical challenges, but our lifesaving medical work continues during natural disasters. Doctors Without Borders: Learn more and Donate Here
Pakistan Emergency: As we speak, one-third of Pakistan is currently underwater and more than 1,000 people have already lost their lives. Immediate donations are needed now to support our emergency response: can we count on you?Donate to Oxfam Here
Election 2022
While the Democrats do not always live up to our hopes, it is vital that Democrats keep the House and Senate. Over the next few months, Indivisible Onondaga County will highlight ways you can contribute to this effort, as well as to critical NYS races. CNY Solidarity Coalition does not endorse specific candidates. See this page for all our election articles.
Easiest way to support change at the national level? Donate to indivisible’s Give No Ground campaign to support selected House and Senate candidates: www.givenoground.org
What else can you do? Donate or volunteer in the races we will be highlighting. Forward this newsletter to friends who might be interested. Suggest they visit our website Here and sign up for this newsletter Here
Elections 2022
from Indivisible Onondaga County
Nationally, among the most consequential elections this Fall are a number of Governor’s races. Some of these races are important because gerrymandering has produced solidly Republican (and sometimes extremist) state legislatures, for whom Democratic governors serve as one of the few effective checks. Others are important because the GOP nominee for Governor is an election-denying extremist who cannot be trusted to fairly oversee the state’s elections in 2024 in beyond. (In some states, it’s the Secretary of State who directly oversees elections, and we’ll highlight some of those races next week, but Governors often play a role as well, particularly with the certification of electoral college votes.)
So we list here a number of gubernatorial candidates whom we think worthy of support. At this time, we recommend a) financial support; and b) reaching out to friends & family in those states and asking how you can help them get involved. As phone-banking opportunities (or other ways to pitch in from a distance) arise, we’ll share those as well.
· In Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro is running against an extremist, election-denying ideologue.
· In Arizona, Katie Hobbs is likewise running against an extremist, election-denying ideologue.
· In Georgia, Stacey Abrams is locked in a very tight rematch with incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp, who 4 years ago abused his powers as Secretary of State to suppress many Democratic votes in the election that made him Governor.
· In Texas, Beto O’Rourke is running to unseat Gov. Greg Abbott. Beto has fallen short in some previous races (for Senate and President), but Abbott has made so many missteps (following the Uvalde shooting, with Texas’s energy grid, and more) that this race is winnable.
· In Florida, Charlie Christ is running to unseat Ron DeSantis, who is a leading contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024. DeSantis has been leading this race throughout, but some early signs indicate that his recent Martha’s Vineyard stunt (spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to dupe immigrant asylum seekers into boarding a plane, then relocating them with no advance notice to local officials) may be backfiring (in addition to being horrifying and unjust).
· In Wisconsin, Democratic Governor Tony Evers is one of the best examples of an incumbent Governor who serves as one of the few checks on a gerrymandered GOP legislature. He is trying to hold off a challenge from a Trump-endorsed, anti-abortion extremist.
· In Michigan, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer is another great example of an incumbent currently in position to check a gerrymandered legislature. Michigan voters will also be voting on a ballot initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, and there are also several contested House races in Michigan. Turning out liberal and progressive voters for any of these should help up and down the ballot. So support for the ballot campaign is another good way to pitch in.
EVENTS/ACTIONS CALENDAR:
National Voter Registration Day is Sept. 20. (civic engagement flex – let’s go!) — Volunteers, organizations, artists, and activists all over the country will “hit the streets” for National Voter Registration Day (NVRD). Be #voteready, #registertovote, & make a plan for #electionday
Visit www.voterlookup.elections.ny.gov to confirm your voter status online.
Register by mail: Print, fill out and sign the official NYS voter registration form and mail, postmarked no later than Oct. 14, 2022.
Register in person: Print, fill out and sign the official NYS voter registration form and deliver it to Onondaga County Board of Elections (BOE) or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act no later than Oct. 14, 2022.
Once you’re registered, you will be able to cast your vote in the general election by mail by voting early in your community (Oct. 29 through Nov. 6) or on Election Day at your local polls.
Online Debate: Can War Ever Be Justified
Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 7:00 PM- 8:30 PM • Eastern Daylight Time (US & Canada) (GMT-04:00)
Register/Info Here This free, public webinar is a friendly debate on the proposition “War Can Never Be Justified.”
Participants will be able to suggest questions for the moderator to ask.
Arguing the affirmative will be David Swanson, an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is executive director of World BEYOND War and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson’s books include War Is A Lie. He hosts Talk World Radio. He is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and U.S. Peace Prize recipient.
Arguing the negative will be Arnold August, a Montreal-based author of three books on US/Cuba/Latin America. As a journalist he appears on TelesurTV and Press TV commenting on international geopolitical issues, is a Contributing Editor for The Canada Files and his articles are published world-wide in English, French and Spanish. He is a member of the International Manifesto Group.
Moderating will be Youri Smouter, host of 1+1, a topical history and current affairs program on his YouTube channel 1+1 hosted by Yuri Muckraker aka Youri Smouter. He is based in Southern Belgium and is a left-wing media critic, NGO critic, anti-imperialist, an advocate for Indigenous solidarity and a Native Lives Matter movement and socially liberal thinker.
Returning the Gift: The role of a nature writer on the edge of climate catastrophe.
2022 Dale L. Travis Lecture Series Featuring Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer ’75
Wednesday, September 21, 2022 7:30 p.m. at the Gateway Center, ESF
In-Person Tickets are sold out. However, a livestream of the event will be available. See below for details.
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor
Founding Director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment
Author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
From the perspective of an Indigenous scientist and writer, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer will share reflections on the work of a nature writer in a time of climate crisis and the journey of her book “Braiding Sweetgrass” into environmental literature.
Registration to attend person has closed. This event will be livestreamed on https://www.youtube.com/esftv.
Westcott Street Cultural Fair: Sunday September 25, 2022 Link to Facebook Event
Westcott Street Cultural Fair needs volunteers to help! Sign up: https://www.westcottstreetfair.org
**SAVE THE DATES**
How the Electric Grid Works: Building Energy Independence and Resilience with Solar”
Wednesday, September 28th, from 5:30pm-7:00pm. Register here.
United Solar Energy Supporters invites you to our next webinar,
Panelists Linden Speranza and Stuart Bailey, of LaBella Associates Engineering, will be providing a very comprehensive presentation covering the grid, energy independence, grid stability, Renewable Energy Credits and much more! USES will provide a certificate of completion for municipal training credit, upon request.
Equity, Access and Opportunity Series: Equity and Opportunity Won’t Happen by Accident
Wednesday, September 28, 5 – 7:30pm ET
Drumlins Country Club -800 Nottingham Rd. Syracuse, NY 13224
Join the School of Education’s Center on Disability and Inclusion for the first of a four-part inclusive education workshop series for PreK-12 educators and families in Central New York.
- Keynote presentation from George Theoharis, Ph.D., Professor of Educational Leadership and Inclusive Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Syracuse University.
- Interactive presentation addressing what we mean when we say equity, access and opportunity.
- Complimentary buffet dinner.
Registration is required as space is limited! Register Here
Finger Lakes Forecast: Land Use and Renewable Energy
Sept. 28, 12 PM Webinar
www.sustainablefingerlakes.org
How much land will we need for solar and wind farms?
Who should decide where they go? What are our options?
More info and Register Here or bit.ly/SEPT28forecast
Board Development Training Series
Sept. 29, Oct. 13, Oct. 27 from 4:30 – 7 pm
From the Gifford Foundation and Central New York Community Foundation
Gifford Foundation: “In our role as a funder, we have heard from many organizations that they face roadblocks when it comes to creating more inclusive and engaged boards.” In response, the organization is launching a free workshop series in collaboration with The Central New York Community Foundation which will tackle these questions and many more over the course of three sessions.
Rally to Fund Human Needs Now
Oct. 1, 5 PM
Bear and Solar Streets (site of the imaginary aquarium)
Call on Onondaga County to prioritize the needs of the community.
More info TBA
5th Annual ArtRageous Bike Ride Fundraiser
October 2, 2022
Choose either the 20 or 40 mile ride (see below) and enjoy a homemade lunch and a local brew back at ArtRage after the ride. Lunch will include gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR OUR 5th ANNUAL
- Two people to staff the rider registration table in the gallery at the start of the event.
- One person to watch the bikes left in the parking lot before and after the ride.
- Two people who can be on call to pick up and/or assist any riders who need help on their ride. (Car with attached bike rack or truck/van that can hold a bike will be required.)
- One rider to serve as the lead biker for the short ride.
- Anyone who might want to help with publicity; leaving posters/handouts in places near you.
- Help getting a few raffle items donated to ArtRage. (Donations do NOT have to be bike related).
If you can volunteer, please reply to rose@artragegallery.org
The SIGH Act Webinar
OCTOBER 6, 2022 @ 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Register
The environmental and racial justice issue of placing schools near major roadways must end. This webinar discusses the SIGH Act, the first step in New York toward ending the practice of placing schools near sources of highway air pollution by prohibiting the new construction of schools within 500 feet of a major roadway. The webinar will consist of a panel discussion featuring the legislative authors of the bill, impacted community members, and NYCLU’s Director of Environmental Justice Project Lanessa Chaplin, and will be moderated by NYCLU’s Education Strategist Kymesha Edwards.
Onondaga County Budget Public Hearing
Thursday, October 6, 2022 At 6 Pm
Onondaga County Legislature
Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Celebrate and Refocus
Monday, October 10, 2022 At 6 Pm – 8:30 Pm
Everson Museum of Art Plaza, 701 S State St, Syracuse
Event by Women of Italian and Syracuse Heritage CNY, Resilient Indigenous Action Collective and 2 others
Rain location, Plymouth Congregational Church, 232 E Onondaga St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Join Women of Italian and Syracuse Heritage in Central New York (WISH CNY), Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON)- a committee of the Syracuse Peace Council, Resilient Indigenous Action Collective (RIAC), Black Artist Collective (BAC), and others to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Onondaga Land in celebration of our natural world, culture, film and community.
Bring your blanket, chair, warm drink, and snack as we view artistic films in celebration of Haudenosaunee culture and values. These films will be projected on the exterior wall of the building, followed by a second loop.. This year, films will center Haudenosaunee relationships with land, with subject matter including the “Doctrine of Discovery” and the legal land rights returning to the Onondaga Nation.
Music as Medicine Salon Syracuse, NY
Thursday, October 13, 2022 At 6 Pm – 9 Pm Edt
Music As Medicine Salon Syracuse, Ny
Event by Syracuse Community Choir, School for The Great Turning and Emily Coralyne
www.eventbrite.com/e/music-as-medicine-salon-syracuse-ny-tickets-412311794677
*No one turned away for lack of funds! Register via Donation*
Through an evening that is a part musical performance, part sing-a-long, part-storytelling, artist-activist Lydia Violet (Bay Area) will fiddle and sing an evening to shore up our spirits in these wild times. Come lay your troubles down in the arms of Lydia Violet’s gospel-folk tunes, weaving a soulful thread through that which feels tattered and longs for peace. Lydia will also teach some short-form sing-a-longs, for anyone who misses the art of singing together, especially drawing from traditions that have uplifted protest and healing for many years. Lydia will also share from the beloved teachings of Joanna Macy, who Lydia has been dedicatedly apprenticing with for the past 14 years. Supported by Syracuse Community Choir, with contributions from local artists.
Syracuse NAN Annual Dinner/Fundraiser
Saturday Oct. 29,2022 6 PM – 9 PM
Bellevue Country Club, 1901 Glenwood Ave., Syracuse, NY 13207
Please join our National Action Network Annual Dinner/Fundraiser. All tickets must be purchased in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door. You can purchase through cash app $syracusenan or call 315 420 5411. Facebook Event
ONGOING EVENTS:
Looking For Flexible — No Meeting, No Committee — Opportunity To Oppose War And Oppression And Work For Peace And Social Justice?
We call it STREET HEAT: an easy, uncomplicated way –in solidarity with a handful of others — to stand up and out for what we stand for. Greeting passing traffic at rush hour with hand-held signs, we want to get them thinking about the day’s crucial issues.
First & Third Tuesdays Of The Month…4 to 4:45 p.m.: Killer drones
Hancock AFB (home of the 174th Attack Wing of the NYS National Guard), 6000 East Molloy Rd.
across from the main gate. Park on the south shoulder.
Every Friday…4 to 4:45 p.m.
West sidewalk of the broad intersection of Erie Blvd East & East Genesee St. in De Witt (across from the Fire Dept.)
For years our focus has been on solidarity with the people of Palestine; while the invasion of Ukraine persists, we also address that tragedy.
Every Saturday…9 to 9:45 a.m.
Across from Syracuse’s Regional Market, 2100 Park St., our team also deals with a range of topics (racism, anti-war, anti-nuke, etc.).
Our current stalwart team: Julienne, Les, Leslie, Geoff, Ed, Ann, Peter…. To learn more, Ed or Ann 315 478 4571
CNY Solidarity Coalition
Check out our Website and our Instagram.
Twitter: @CNYSolidarity and @IndivisibleNY24
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cnysolidarity/ and
www.facebook.com/groups/IndivisibleNY24
Mailing Address:
CNY Solidarity Coalition
2013 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, NY 13210
To contribute: Donate Here through PayPal. Or send checks to mailing address above
Our Committees: To sign up for each of the committee mailing lists, contact the person listed.
Indivisible Onondaga County (Formerly Indivisible NY24): Contact: Deborah Rose: dcurryrose@gmail.com
Climate Justice: Contact: Dick Kornbluth dick@dickkornbluth.com
SLAT (State/Local Action Team) Contact: Peter McCarthy – pmccar1100@gmail.com
Beyond War and Militarism. A joint committee of CNY Solidarity Coalition and the Syracuse Peace Council. Contact: Ron Van Norstrand; ron@vannorstrandlaw.com
CNY Solidarity Coalition contributes regularly to local progressive organizations: Syracuse Peace Council, National Action Network, and Urban Jobs Coalition, as well as to our mailing list provider, RiseUp. We also make occasional donations as needed to other local groups. We depend on our supporters’ contributions for this.
To contribute: Donate Here through PayPal. Or send checks to the mailing address above.—
Peter McCarthy
pmccar1100@gmail.com